FernUni VirtualMobility

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Virtual Erasmus Week 2006 09 March 2006 Friedhelm (Fred) Nickolmann Virtual Mobility at

FernUniversität in Hagen - Basics: 

FernUniversität in Hagen - Basics Established Dec. 1974 / Opened Dec. 1975 by Act of Parliament of the State of Nordrhein-Westfalen Not a national university, but acting nationally (and internationally) Integral part of the regular public higher education system - Similar activities in research and teaching - Fully in line with campus universities - equal rights, equal duties - same tasks and functions - same standards and admission requirements Key figures (2005/06) - 44,000 students - 80 professors - 355 academic staff / 710 acad. support staff - 610 administrative staff The only distance teaching university in Germany

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Students per Faculty 1999/00 // 2004/05

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Profiles: 29-35 years: median age of students 80 % in employment 23 % earned a first academic degree already 60 % male --- 40% female 8 % foreign nationality (5 % living abroad) Categories: Profiles and Categories of Students 2005/2006

Categories of Students from Abroad: 

Categories of Students from Abroad Germans living or working abroad Foreign nationalities with particular interest in German language, culture and science - employees in international environments - preparing for physical study in Germany - young academics / scientists / researchers - re-emigrants - former students from German campus universities

Studying from Abroad: Support 1/2 : 

Studying from Abroad: Support 1/2 Study material to addressees abroad sent „ first “ by air mail Return of tests and written tasks: * Special fax no * web-assign Written examinations (ex neighbouring countries): * Goethe Institute / German School * Embassy or Consulate Practical course  Travel to Germany (temporal visum)  Aquivalents Library services: * direct lending out of study books, * copy service for articles Student contact lists

Studying from Abroad: Support 2/2: 

Studying from Abroad: Support 2/2 Special admission and administration office („Studentisches Auslandsamt“ = Foreign students office) Special counsellors at faculties Study centres abroad: Austria (7): Bregenz, Deutschlandsberg, Bad Goisern, Saalfelden, Steyr, Villach, Wien Switzerland (2): Brig, Pfäffikon Hungary: Budapest Latvia: Riga Russia (2): St. Petersburg, Smolensk Estonia: Tallinn Third-party contribution / own budget (Austria, Switzerland, ...): - staff - supplies/ equipments - facilities

Study Centers – Offers, Activities : 

Study Centers – Offers, Activities Infrastructure (rooms, personnel, technology, library) Information point Administration Contact and communication (meeting fellow students and faculty staff) Counselling / Tutoring Seminars / lectures (face-to-face) Examinations (face-to-face, video) Needs analysis Collaboration with local and regional institutions and business

Special example: The Budapest Distance Study Centre [Fernstudienzentrum Budapest]: 

Special example: The Budapest Distance Study Centre [Fernstudienzentrum Budapest]

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Hungarian Students at German Universities (2002)

Double-degree programmes (since 2002): 

Double-degree programmes (since 2002)

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=> + The path to a Hungarian-German double-degree

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All 44.000+ students are virtually mobile – - studying from home or workplace at FernUniversität based in Hagen - - 6% of students living abroad Study Centres abroad: Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Russia, Baltic States – information, support services, classroom meetings, exams (written; oral: videoconference) Double Degrees: Hungary, Russia, Baltic States, Czech Republic "Bologna Process" Instruments: BA/MA structure, ECTS, Diploma Supplement; ERASMUS University Charter European Network activities: EUNITE, EuroPACE, EADTU Use of ICTs (Online courses, CSCL, CURE) Open Access Studies: studying any course without pre-requisites "Virtual Mobility" already in place at FernUniversität in Hagen – Summary

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Specific Example: „Real systems in virtual lab“ PC as virtual lab Real lab Real systems Home or workplace of student

The Bologna Declaration -Joint declaration of the European Ministers of Education 19 June 1999: 

The Bologna Declaration - Joint declaration of the European Ministers of Education 19 June 1999 Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees (Diploma Supplement) Adoption of a system essentially based on two main cycles (Bachelor, Master) Establishment of a system of credits (ECTS) Promotion of mobility by overcoming obstacles to the effective exercise of free movement with particular attention to: - for students, access to study and training opportunities and to related services - for teachers, researchers and administrative staff, recognition and valorisation of periods spent in a European context researching, teaching and training Promotion of European co-operation in quality assurance Promotion of the necessary European dimensions in higher education

Forms of Mobility of Students: 

Forms of Mobility of Students Physical Mobility (PM) on-site: physical travel & stay in a country abroad for limited period takes substantial amount of time / creates additional cost student experiences face-to-face activities and meetings, teaching and the everyday life of the country social, cultural and educational enrichment Virtual Mobility (VM) from home, university or work place / no physical stay abroad no restrictions in length of time spent studying time and cost effective limited face-to-face activities access to courses and study schemes in foreign country; communication with teachers and fellow students abroad via ICT academic educational experience (interaction: intercultural competences)

Mobility of Students: 

Mobility of Students one scheme = two different forms > Physical Mobility (PM) > Virtual Mobility (VM) to be conceived as “different but equal” educational concepts neither is inferior to the other each has its own profile and legitimacy complement / reinforce each other in various ways Virtual Mobility is sometimes the easiest or only solution for international mobility

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www.fernuni-hagen.de Thank you for your attention